It’s the Good Friday edition of the Friday Files, SEA’s weekly rundown of stuff from the SEA archives, and relevant recent articles on Arminian/Calvinist issues.
Inclusion on this page doesn’t guarantee SEA’s endorsement, no matter what Steve Hays tells you. Same with the summaries, which K.W. Leslie coughs up ’cause a mini-preview of what you’re about to read is kinda nice. Some of these articles are written by non-Arminians and Calvinists. SEA member names are highlighted in blue.
From the SEA archives:
David A. deSilva.
• “Hebrews 6:4-8: A socio-rhetorical investigation (part 1).”
[1999, PDF] deSilva applies Vernon Robbins’ “socio-rhetorical interpretation” to Hebrews’ bit about how it’s impossible to restore the apostate.
• “Hebrews 6:4-8: A socio-rhetorical investigation (part 2).”
[1999, PDF] Part 2: How well did the writer of Hebrews do in convincing the audience to persevere?
• “Spiritual death: Lazarus or the prodigal son?”
[Aug 2012, PDF] The scriptures do talk about spiritual death, but Calvinists have transformed a simple metaphor into the foundation of our pre-Christian spiritual condition.
• “How does grace work in Arminian-Wesleyan theology?”
[1 Apr 2013] In a nutshell, preveniently: God enables the human will to do good, calls people to salvation, and invites those dead in their sins to new life.
• “The freedom of God in mercy and judgment: A libertarian reading of Romans 9:6-29.”
[2009, PDF] God neither ordained nor predestined that Israel wouldn’t believe in their Messiah, and the gentiles would. God’s likewise free to define his people, and respond to unbelief, however he sees fit.
• “Calvinism and problematic readings of New Testament texts, or, Why I am not a Calvinist.”
[11 Apr 2010, PDF] The sort of determinism Calvinism demands, flies in the face of every moral exhortation in the bible.
• “Presently entering the kingdom of Christ: The background and purpose of Col. 1:12-14.”
[1988, PDF] Some theories about the purpose of Paul’s statement about transferring the saints from the domain of darkness. (Included here because it advocates corporate election.)
• “Predestined for hell?”
[1 Apr 2013, PDF] How Romans 9 indicates intentional rebellion on the part of the reprobate.
• A Solemn Caution Against the Ten Horns of Calvinism.
[1819, PDF] Part of an open letter to John Wesley (written in 1779; this is the fourth edition) listing 10 thinks he finds absurd about Calvinist beliefs.
• “The security of the believer: Conditional or unconditional?”
[Dec 2009, PDF] A list of all the proof-texts used to support conditional or unconditional security.
From the interwebs:
Leighton Flowers (Traditionalist), Soteriology 101.
• “Does should always imply could?”
[24 Mar 2018] When God commands our obedience, why is it Calvinists maintain not everyone can obey? ’Cause there’s a hole in their logic.Roger E. Olson, My Evangelical Arminian Theological Musings.
• “Calvinism and assurance of salvation (or not).”
[29 Mar 2018] Say a longtime Christian gives up on the faith and goes apostate. Calvinists would claim this person was never truly Christian to begin with. Even though the guy was entirely sure he was Christian. For years. Professed Jesus and everything. Same as every other Calvinist. See the problem yet?
Got a feedreader?
SEA members write so, so much. Which is great when you’re looking for stuff to read; go check out their websites and blogs. And the handiest way to keep up with their blogs is with a feedreader or news aggregator.
Visit Feeder, Feedreader, Feedly, G2Reader, Inoreader, NewsBlur, or The Old Reader. Some web browsers have news aggregators built in, and yes, people have invented plugins in case they don’t. Pick a feedreader, find your favorite blogs’ RSS or Atom feeds, plug ’em in, and let their feeds come to you.
